DRINKING WATER
A New Approach To Infrastructure Resiliency
Extreme weather and seismic threats are driving a new collaborative approach to infrastructure. By aligning utility needs with academic research and manufacturing innovation, providers can validate resilient technologies and deploy data-backed solutions for long-term reliability.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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![Figure - 3 phoenix]( "PermaSeal Insertion Valve Provides Operational Efficiency In Arizona")
PermaSeal Insertion Valve Provides Operational Efficiency In ArizonaTo limit customer shutdowns and reduce non-revenue water loss, the City of Phoenix agreed to be a part of the first live installation of the PermaSeal Insertion Valve and test the capabilities and benefits obtained from utilizing the resilient wedge gate valve design.
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![getty-2078700653]( "6 Ways Communities Are Streamlining Water & Wastewater Asset Lifecycle Management")
6 Ways Communities Are Streamlining Water & Wastewater Asset Lifecycle ManagementHere are just a few examples of innovative ways that communities are leveraging Trimble Cityworks, Esri, and partner solutions.
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![WCS057_WEDECO_San-Jose_casestudy_sm-1]( "WEDECO UV Disinfection Produces Highly Purified Water In Silicon Valley")
WEDECO UV Disinfection Produces Highly Purified Water In Silicon ValleyThe Santa Clara Valley Water District in San Jose, CA, required additional water supplies to maintain regional economic vitality for its growing community.
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![Keeping UpWith AMI_iStock-661419638]( "A Pathway To Keeping Pace With AMI Technology")
A Pathway To Keeping Pace With AMI TechnologyThe rise of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) has been a substantial benefit to municipalities. AMI goes beyond billing data to provide deep insights into water distribution systems and offers utility managers an important tool in delivering the highest quality drinking water. However, that advancement has also generated a significant obstacle. The good news is that a cost-effective and flexible solution is available.
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![FCS Case Study]( "Advanced Leak Detection Safeguards Water In Utqiaġvik, Alaska")
Advanced Leak Detection Safeguards Water In Utqiaġvik, AlaskaIn the remote Arctic village of Utqiaġvik, Alaska — where extreme winters and frozen terrain make traditional water system maintenance nearly impossible — the Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC) faced a critical threat: a persistent underground leak draining over 10,000 gallons of water per day.
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![Ultrafiltration And Reverse Osmosis Testing On Tertiary Effluent From The North City Water Reclamation Plant]( "Ultrafiltration And Reverse Osmosis Testing On Tertiary Effluent From The North City Water Reclamation Plant")
Ultrafiltration And Reverse Osmosis Testing On Tertiary Effluent From The North City Water Reclamation PlantUltrafiltration (UF) membranes have already gained worldwide acceptance in the treatment of drinking water for their removal of chlorine resistant pathogens such as cryptosporidium. Tertiary treatment with UF has been established, although with a lower level of knowledge and number of installations. This paper will discuss the performance of hollow fiber UF/MF membrane modules in treating tertiary effluent, and the subsequent performance of the downstream RO membranes.
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![Kasco-CertiSafe_-WhitePaper-Why-Should-I-Install-a-Water-Storage-Tank-Mixer-2]( "Why Should I Install A Water Storage Tank Mixer?")
Why Should I Install A Water Storage Tank Mixer?Throughout my experience, I’ve tried countless ways to ensure my drinking water was of high quality. By far, the best, most efficient, and effective way I’ve found is by using an active water storage tank mixer.
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![iStock-842727238.jpg]( "The Reasons Behind The Wide Array Of Liner And Electrode Choices In Magnetic Flow Meters")
The Reasons Behind The Wide Array Of Liner And Electrode Choices In Magnetic Flow MetersElectromagnetic flow meters offer significant benefits in water, wastewater, and industrial applications because they can be reliably used to measure liquid with many different characteristics. Since these devices contain no moving parts, making them virtually maintenance-free, they are becoming the workhorse for a growing number of utilities and industrial operations. Despite the advantages, however, electromagnetic flow meters are often avoided based on the misconception that there are limitations on what they can measure.
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Harness The Power Of One Bacterium To Remove PFAS From The Environment
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of synthetic organic molecules, which are not naturally occurring in nature. Due to the strong carbon-fluorine bond present in these molecules, they are especially long-lived once released into the environment and are resistant to regular chemical remediation methods.
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![GettyImages-1189177350_450_300 (002)]( "5 Ways To Make Removing PFAS Easier For Small Communities")
5 Ways To Make Removing PFAS Easier For Small CommunitiesThere are a few things that smaller water treatment plants should keep in mind when homing in on the most viable technologies for PFAS.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Ultrasonic Level Measurement In Water And Wastewater Plants5/19/2016
Radar technology is often viewed as the “best” method of level measurement, but this isn’t necessarily true in the water industry.
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Analysis Of Pesticide Residue In Spinach Using The AutoMate-Q40 An Automated QuEChERS Solution10/16/2014
QuEChERS is a Quick-Easy-Cheap-Effective-Rugged-Safe extraction method that has been developed for the determination of pesticide residues in agricultural commodities.
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TOC Analysis: The Best Tool In A Drinking Water Facility's Toolbox5/3/2019
SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions designs and manufactures Sievers Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analyzers that enable near real-time reporting of organic carbon levels for treatment optimization, quality control & regulatory compliance. TOC has a wide range of applicability at a drinking water plant, and therefore any drinking water utility — large or small — can measure TOC in their laboratory or online in their treatment process.
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Application Note: Troubleshooting A pH Electrode1/26/2011
Many factors affect performance of a pH electrode. When performance degrades, it is always a challenge for the analyst to identify the cause. Common troubleshooting procedures, which include evaluation of slope, electrode drift, time response, and accuracy, take considerable time. By Thermo Fisher Scientific
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Improved Efficiencies In TOC Wastewater Analysis For Standard Method 5310B And EPA Method 41510/16/2014Total organic carbon (TOC) measurement is of vital importance to the operation of water treatment due to organic compounds comprising a large group of water pollutants. TOC has been around for many years, and although it is a relatively simple analysis in theory, operational efficiency is paramount.
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Active Energy Control – Energy Reductions Of Up To 10% Above Standard Drives4/1/2017
Energy costs continue to increase. At the same time, there is increased pressure to reduce utility bills without sacrificing operations or comfort.
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Waste Technologies Transform Problems To Profit9/8/2015
Anaerobic digestion processes that radically improve the quality of wastewater while delivering green energy extracted from biological waste streams are emerging as a profitable way for agricultural and food processing industries cope with the twin impact of drought and pollution challenges.
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Reduced Bore Electromagnetic Flowmeter10/29/2021
Being able to accurately measure both the quantity and rate of water passing through a water distribution system is crucial to gain an informed understanding of overall efficiency. As such, achieving a measurement that is exact as possible can have a significant impact on key areas. This includes supply planning, maintenance, resource deployment, leakage detection and the overall environment.
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VFD Energy Savings For Pumping Applications4/6/2017
In the early days of variable frequency drive (VFD) technology, the typical application was in process control for manufacturing synthetic fiber, steel bars, and aluminum foil.
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Application Note: Water Flows From The Golden Hills Of California1/20/2010Each morning John Johnson drives the few miles from his smalltown home in northern California to the Center at Pardee Reservoir. Nestled among the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the reservoir is a long 100 miles away from San Francisco Bay. By YSI
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
The Smith & Loveless Duplex Gravity Filter (DGF) removes suspended solids and particles, improving effluent quality. The standard system is available in sizes to fit any application, providing up to 200 square feet (18.6 square meters) of effective filtration area per unit. Dual media filtration increases filtration depth and limits the head loss problems associated with single-media designs.
Highly effective against bacteria and viruses, the Advanced Oxidation System (AOS) is also well-suited for the decontamination of hard-to-treat organic contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants The AOS can be configured to deliver optimized performance for most water or wastewater treatment applications.
ClorTec T systems easily control sodium hypochlorite production and provide a powerful disinfection method for any application. T systems meet requirements for 2 to 36 lb/day (0.9 to 16 kg/day) chlorine equivalent. Applications include potable water, wastewater, odor and corrosion control, cooling towers, oxidation and swimming pool disinfection.
Innovative self-cleaning microfiber water filters for treatment as fine as 2 micron.
The Series 3800 MEGA-COUPLING is a restrained coupling for similar and dissimilar pipe materials.
TrojanUV systems are installed for water providers who are adopting wastewater reuse to conserve natural drinking water supplies.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![businesswoman asking question in education event-GettyImages-2198836359]( "AMI Under The Microscope: Beaverton Water Division Answers Questions About Its AMI Transition")
Beaverton Water Division’s transition to Kamstrup AMI and acoustic leak detection is modernizing meter reading, reducing infrastructure costs, improving leak identification, and streamlining operations as deployment progresses.
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![Texas Flag-GettyImages-942623440]( "Meeting Demand, Ensuring Compliance: A Success Story In Executing Fast-Paced Water System Improvements In Missouri City, Texas")
Learn how the Mustang Bayou Service Area (MBSA) Water System Improvements project delivered a fast-tracked, multi-phase response to rapid development and critical capacity challenges in one of the Missouri City’s fastest-growing regions.
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![Legionella pneumophila-GettyImages-1451790531]( "Legionella And The Need For Next-Generation Detection: Steps Water Utilities Can Take To Alleviate The Risk")
As water systems grow more complex and climate patterns shift, Legionella is emerging as one of the most persistent and underestimated risks in the built environment. The threat to public health from Legionnaires' disease will likely further escalate unless decisive action is taken. -
![maasjackson]( "Metering as a Service Improves Jackson, MS, Water Infrastructure")
The city of Jackson faced a water crisis that went beyond the tap. What began as an ambitious plan to modernize its water metering infrastructure in 2014 became a logistical and financial nightmare, costing the city millions in lost revenue and declining public trust. Metering as a Service (MaaS) offered the city an alternative option. -
![leadpipeInground_Getty-2211014580]( "The Final Mile: The U.S. Simply Must Rush To Finish Its Critical Lead-Pipe Cleanup")
There has been an abundance of funding available to address the estimated 9.2 million lead service lines currently deliver drinking water to homes, businesses, schools, and unsuspecting citizens throughout the United States. So it is disheartening to realize that millions of lead water lines are still delivering water to citizens. -
![Digital communication-GettyImages-2042965298]( "Beaverton's New AMI Solution Checks Every Box: Operations, Billing, Service, And Savings")
This Q&A follows the Webinar: Beaverton's New AMI Solution Checks Every Box: Operations, Billing, Service, & Savings hosted by Water Online on October 21, 2025. The webinar featured the leadership team from Beaverton Water Division as they discussed lessons learned across operations, billing, and customer service, offering a 360-degree perspective on implementing and managing an AMI system.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
Check out this brief video with Greg, and industry veteran and our Product Manager for Measurement technologies, as he provides a lowdown on the new AWWA Standard covering solid-state meters which are increasingly being adopted by water utilities of all sizes.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.